


What we are Born to Do

by Nulara



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec was adorable as a little boy, Blushing Alec Lightwood, Boys In Love, Child Alec Lightwood, Childhood Memories, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Dorks in Love, Embarrassment, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Good Parent Maryse Lightwood, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, High Warlock of Alicante Magnus Bane, Idiots in Love, Inquisitor Alec Lightwood, M/M, Magic, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Magnus is so gone for Alec, Married Couple, Married Life, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Protective Alec Lightwood, Shadow-hubby Alec Lightwood, Soft Husbands, Thirsty Alec Lightwood, Thirsty Magnus Bane, Warlock Magnus Bane, mundane careers quiz, mundane maryse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26015104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nulara/pseuds/Nulara
Summary: Post '1 year later'. Magnus and Alec are married and living in Allicante. They have the family over for dinner tonight and Alec gets painfully embarrassed by his mother talking about his childhood antics. Magnus is delighted to hear about how cute his husband was when he was a little boy.Maryse, stripped of her runes a while ago now, wants more out of life in relation to her career. The night ends up with her taking an online test about her personality and skills to get an idea of what her future career in the mundane world could be.The others decide to also have a go taking this quiz just for fun, the results are not too surprising but one of Alec's answers to a question has Magnus reeling and falling even deeper in love with his Shadowhunter husband.
Relationships: Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 10
Kudos: 204
Collections: Shadow Hunters, Shadowhunters ▶ Magnus Bane / Alec Lightwood





	What we are Born to Do

**Author's Note:**

> My first ever Malec fic <3 
> 
> Let me know what you think!
> 
> I discovered them back in February via the show just before Covid hit and now Malec is my life XD

**_What we are Born to Do_ **

The burnt sienna sun was lazily sinking ever-deeper down as it made its bed in between the glass towers of the Alicante skyline; day fading softly into evening through the crystalline windows of Magnus' loft.

The soft sound of clinking wine glasses and shuffle of cutlery trilled like wind chimes through the warm and comfortable family atmosphere surrounding the dinner table. Amplified only by the occasional bubble of raucous laughter, and the animated murmurs of humorous familial stories being told (and contested for authenticity by the poor soul whom the tale was aimed at for peek embarrassment; not without affection of course). 

They were an unusual grouping for a family; four highly esteemed Shadowhunter heroes, a beloved nerdy vampire, a matriarchal nephilim-turned-mundane, and an affectionately termed 'dastardly' warlock. But as they all well knew; family is not always born into, but found in the strangest of places, with the most unlikely but wonderful people. It worked for them, and there was no lack of love and support between any of them, and that was all that mattered.

\------------------------xXx-----------------------------

_"....and Alec's reaction!... oh, I will never forget the look on his endearing little face the first time he held Izzy in his arms when she was just born."_

Maryse gushed lovingly as she regaled a frankly delighted Magnus with the tales of her precious children.

Tales about baby Alexander's adventures delighted him in particular...' _Absolutely yes please!',_ he thought. Sign him up immediately! Take all his money, his belongings; he doesn't care. Just so long as the stories about his adorable, pocket-edition, beloved Shadowhunter kept coming.

_"Mo-om!"_

Alec, (The goddamn 'Inquisitor', who could silence a room full of boisterous Shadowhunters and impassioned Downworlders with a stern look and a furrowed brow), uncharacteristically _whined_ at his mother. He buried his reddening face into his archery-calloused hands, making the rest of his family chuckle good-naturedly at him from around the table.

This was apparently a trait he hadn't quite dropped since childhood when Maryse threatened his gentle sensibilities (and not to mention his badass Shadowhunter reputation) with embarrassing stories about him.

According to Alec she might as well have just shown everyone his baby pictures whenever she did this to him... Something Alec barely caught himself from voicing out loud at this very moment lest his warlock husband get any ideas about tearing through Edom and Earth just to find a single photo of a bright eyed, baby-faced, and giggling Alexander. Well... Any _more_ ideas.

_"C'mon, that's enough. We don't need to go into detail."_ Alec practically begged.

_"Don't listen to your son Maryse, he doesn't know what he's saying. We absolutely MUST go into detail... I insist!"_

Magnus encouraged his mother-in-law, despite the adorable and heart tugging side-eyed scowl he received from between his husbands' long fingers, now cupping the sides of his _very_ prettily blushed face.

Maryse laughed out loud at "Her boys'" before she continued her 'ruthless tirade' (Alec's words not hers) on his fragile ego.

_"He was only about 2 and a half years old, and we settled him down on a big plushy chair that made him look sooo small; his chubby little baby legs not even meeting the edge of the cushion where he sat. We placed a wrapped up Isabelle on his lap, showing him how to hold her carefully.... He was so good even at that age, so gentle and loving with her right from the very start...He looked down at Izzy's peacefully sleeping face with this utter adoration, and newfound sense of responsibility as a big-brother in his big, bright, hazel eyes. Then he just looks up at me through his beautiful thick lashes, (which I still envy him to this day, by the way), and a massive sunlit smile breaks across his face and tears start streaming down his chubby little cheeks, and he whispers to me 'Mommy, I'm a big brother'..."_

At this point Maryse is tearing up over the memories of her precious baby-boy, there's a chorus of unstoppable, "Aww's," falling from everyone's lips, and all can see that Alec just wants the ground to swallow him whole; or for Magnus to portal them anywhere but here at this table enduring this 'horrific torture'. Magnus is certain Alec would rather take on a horde of Raum Demons blindfolded and without weapons any day over _this_. His sweet natured husband does so hate to be the centre of attention; unless it's Magnus bestowing _his_ attention upon Alec of course. 

_"Awww, Hermano!"_

Izzy practically squeals at a range of decibels that nearly popped all their eardrums. But Magnus could not fault her reaction, he was internally expressing the same unbridled delight and adoration towards Alec as she was.

Alec just visibly squirmed uncomfortably in his seat at the attention he's getting. Rolling his shoulders as if to brush off the emotions in the room and looking resolutely down at the table not meeting anyone's eyes right now.

_"Ohh-ho, Alex-an-der."_

Magnus purrs with such tenderness, his voice impossibly warm and soft as molten honey as he leans over to Alec from his seat, his right hand coming up to rest gently upon Alec's upper thigh. Raw affection makes his eyes glimmer to gold as the intensity of his emotions compromises his glamour, making Alec's breathe catch in his throat as he looks up at him. The world around them falling away as it always does when they look at each other.

A small half smile tugs at Alec's mouth. He forgets all about his embarrassment and anyone watching him for a moment as he is magnetically pulled towards Magnus to share a brief but love fuelled kiss. A firm pressing of warm, silk soft, lips. They miss the knowing looks and shared smiles of happiness and appreciation for their obvious love for one another from their surrounding family.

They slowly pull apart, soft eyes reluctantly breaking contact as they come back into the room from the warm cocoon of their love-bubble. Alec desperately tries to move the attention away from himself by taking control of the conversation using his _incredibly_ sexy and authoritative 'Inquisitor' voice.

_"Alright, that's enough about me and my childhood self for one day. Let's talk about something...anything... else, please?"_

Thankfully they take pity on him and the conversation moves on after a few teasing looks thrown his way.

" _Oh Alexander. You should know by now; it's always about you, for me."_

Magnus declares quietly so that only Alec can hear him, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, elbow supported on the table as he stares downright dreamily at his Shadowhunter-hubby.

Alec gives Magnus an affectionately exasperated but equally delighted look at the loving comment and whispers back,

_"I love you, but behave, or I might just have to cut this family dinner short"_.

Magnus hums approvingly at that and quirks a challenging eyebrow.

_"Hmm, I like where this is going already."_

Alec rolls his eyes in that sassy but adorable way that makes Magnus weak, huffing a laugh as he banters back.

" _Such a shameless, horny, Warlock."_

_"For you darling?_ Insatiably _so,"_

Magnus sends a discreet tendril of blue magic to lightly brush across the sensitive skin under Alec's ribs. Making him jump a little in his chair and causing a sharp laugh to burst from him in surprise. He flushes an _oh-so-pretty_ pink as heads turn suddenly towards him in response, but they think nothing of it and carry on their conversation. They know how they get after all.

' _Damn him!'_ Alec thinks. Magnus _knows_ his Shadowhunter is ticklish there and he takes every advantage of that fact whenever he can. Knowing full well that it will likely lead from a giggling-squirming struggle to some very compromising positions and heated encounters soon after in both the training room and bedroom alike. (... also in the kitchen... _and_ on the balcony.... _and_ in the shower... _and_ over the couch in the living room... _and_ against a wall in the small cobbled backstreets of Alicante... _Shit_ , where _haven't_ they done it?) 

If the heated look Alec is giving Magnus right now is anything to go by, with his eyelids slightly hooded and pupils a little lust blown, that tells Magnus that he is remembering the _exact_ positions they have got themselves into as a result of Magnus' relentless exploitation of Alec's blessedly sensitive pale skin.

_"Later..."_

Alec commands, his rasped whisper falling hot upon Magnus' ear; a fevered promise of what's to come.

A hot spike of arousal sparks low and almost painfully in Magnus' abdomen at that. But he agrees with his husband, sadly now is not the time. Their family is important and they don't get to see them as often as they used to now that they live in Idris, despite being only a portal away. They can control themselves for a couple of hours more...or at least _one_... _surely_?

 _Fuck._ He really _is_ a shamelessly horny Warlock for his Alexander, isn't he? 

Magnus shakes his head as if to clear his thoughts and uses the natural lull in the conversation happening around them to bring up a new topic of his own.

_" So, Maryse, how are things going in your shop? I hope business is good? If your ever need redecorating you know where to find me."_

He offers, more than happy to lend his magical assistance to the Lightwood matriarch. Alec smiles with warmth and pride at the loving relationship his own mother and his husband now seem to have cultivated after so many years of prior hostility. 

_"Thank you Magnus, that's very sweet of you, I appreciate it a lot. Business is good, but I find myself becoming slightly... well,_ bored _. I was an Institute Head for so long that, although I love my shop and the freedom it has given me ever since I became a mundane, I find that it isn't quite enough for me anymore. It was wonderful whilst I was making the transition from Shadowhunter to Mundane, but I need_ more _... Sadly, I don't really know where to start looking career wise in the mundane world as much as I've adapted and changed thus far within it. I at least have acquired skills more suited to mundane work in my shop, and I could use my experiences as a Head of an Institute to suit more mundane roles. But I just don't know what I want or even_ could _want career wise. I'm still learning the mundane world after-all."_

Maryse smiled warmly as she saw the cogs turn in her children's heads as they clearly tried to think of a solution for their mother.

In the end it was Simon that provided a solution as the most recent mundane himself.

_"Well, you could start by taking an online test to see what kind of role your personality and skills would suit. I've had mundane friends do that all the time when they couldn't decide what they wanted to do for their future careers. It gave them at least an idea of what is out there, and you could work from there."_

_"Well it's certainly a good place to start. Thank you Simon... In fact, I have my laptop from the shop with me. Would you mind showing me this test you're talking about?"_

_"Of course!"_ Simon enthused, excited to be of help.

\------------------xXx--------------------

And that's how what started as a useful tool for Maryse to help decide on a future career, turned into all four Shadowhunters, a vampire and a warlock completing their own questionnaires on what jobs they would suit in the mundane world both for fun and sheer curiosity.

There were some multiple choice questions, some written answer questions. They each took their turn after Maryse, who found out she was suited to roles that were high paced and required a skilled co-ordinator such as event planning, or being a CEO of a company or a non-profit organisation.

Clary was best suited to artistry (no surprises there), or working with young children. Simon was best suited to being either a musician (again no surprises), a movie producer, or a comedian - the latter of which he was _strongly_ advised against by the rest of his family. Jace was best suited to either a career in security or in personal fitness. Izzy was best suited to a career in Criminology, forensic science, or teaching martial arts. 

When Magnus took his turn, the website glitched aggressively and the laptop nearly combusted out of sheer confusion due to his multifaceted personality and abundance of experiences. But what they did see came in rapid succession ranging from the conflicting flashes of "Fashion Designer/Model," to "Politician/Activist", to " Child/Animal care", and "Yoga instructor/Martial arts instructor". He practically got everything all at once.

They had to reboot the laptop before Alec could take his turn after Magnus' turn basically almost destroyed the thing, which he got aggressively but affectionately teased about.

However, it turned out that the laptop also almost short circuited for Alec also. Which of course Magnus mercilessly teased him in return for. Alec got similar things to Magnus like, "Child/Animal care," due to his deeply caring and protective nature (which did not surprise anyone at all). He also got "Diplomat/Revolutionary" which gave Alec pause at the 'Revolutionary' part, but Magnus enthused that this described Alec very well considering his thus far successful fight for Downworlders' rights and equal treatment, which earned murmurs of total agreement from everyone else in the room.

This caused Alec's cheeks to start to flush prettily pink again as the attention in the room was once again directed towards himself. This gorgeous contradiction in Alec never failed to astound his warlock husband. How Alec could simultaneously be so shy and think that he didn't deserve such positive attention or what he thought was unwarranted esteem from behind closed doors, and yet he could command a room like he was born to it; a formidable leader of the Shadow-world. 

Magnus just smiled warmly and reached up to run slender fingers through his Shadow-hubby's thick waved black locks, causing Alec to timidly meet his eyes and grace Magnus with a shy but no less tender half smile of his own.

Magnus' heart strings always felt a sharp tug at that look. His breathe hitching, biting into his lower lip in an abysmally poor attempt to contain his reactions to the overwhelming swell of love that threatened to overflow and pour out of him towards Alexander. Certainly not for the first time he was in awe of the absolute power Alec held over him (that he never exploited) and the tender emotions that awoke within him ever since the very first time he ever laid his cat-eyes on his beautiful Shadowhunter... _Demons below_ how he loved this man.

\----------------------xXx-----------------------

The family dinner drew to an eventual close. Well wishes and warm embraces were exchanged with feeling as they said their goodbye's, and they made promises of repeats of the wonderful evening they just had in the very near future. Although Alec strongly stipulated that it was his siblings' turn for the embarrassing childhood stories next time; he'd had his fair share.

Whilst Alec went to have a shower and get ready for bed Magnus set about cleaning up after their vacated house guests with a few snaps of his fingers; perks of being a warlock, no dirty dishes to worry about.

Just as Magnus started to make his way to the bathroom to join his delectable husband in the shower, gracing his eyes with the mouth watering sight of hot streams of water running down Alec's taut heaven-sculpted muscles. He saw that Maryse's laptop was still perched on the couch where Alec had left it after he had done his mundane career questionnaire. He went over to pick it up and switch it off, prepping it to go back to Maryse's shop with another finger snap, but he stopped when he noticed that Alec's answers were still up on the screen.

Curious to see what his husband had written, and knowing he wouldn't mind Magnus reading them, Magnus scrolled through, smiling warmly at some and nodding in agreement and approval at others. Finally he reached the last question...

Alec's startlingly honest (as always) answer made his heart stop as he froze in quiet awe once again at his heartbreakingly sweet Nephilim's open heart and pure soul. He felt his eyes brim and overflow with tears, as if his emotions built up so much inside him that they could only be expressed in the gentle cascade falling from his feline eyes.

_"Oh Alec..."_

He whispered to himself, with a hand on his aching chest.

The screen read;

_"_ **_Question 24:_** _Describe in a few words what you believe that you were born to do?_

_Answer: ...._ **I was born to love Magnus Lightwood-Bane** _._ _....... "_

To say Magnus was touched was a heinous understatement. All throughout his long life he had hoped and dreamed of someone who would think and feel about him in such a way that made him believe in a true, all encompassing, beautiful, soul healing love. But after having never found such a love he chalked up the notion to pure fantasy and dreams. Love was pain for him. Until he met Alexander. Before Alec Magnus never knew what true love really was and how much better such a relationship could be. This precious love he had found with Alec, the gentle balm for his wayward restless soul, was what it was supposed to be like. Alec said things like this so easily as if they were obvious and not a big deal for him to say to Magnus. But they meant the world to Magnus, and he'd longed to hear them for a literal eternity. 

Magnus put aside the laptop and gently rose from the couch in a haze of mild shock, continuing his previous journey to the bedroom.

Alec was out of the shower now, towel dried and clad in his form fitting black boxers. His black hair fluffed in all opposite directions from clearly running the towel roughly over it. He looked up at Magnus with a warm smile that fell away into concern almost immediately when he saw the tear tracks on Magnus' face. He strode over to his husband and gently gripped his upper arms in support.

_"Magnus, what's wrong? What happened?"_

He asked intently but with a voice like a caress.

_"Oh my darling Alexander._ You _happened to me my wonderful Nephilim, and I thank any deity listening every day for bringing you into my once very lonely life."_

Magnus threw his arms around his tall angel and buried his head into the junction between Alec's broad shoulders and lithe neck. Breathes shuddering out between his lips, gentle sobs wracking his body, holding tightly onto his love for dear life, as he always had.

Alec's strong arms came to wrap and lock securely around his warlock's waist, pulling him flush against his body as if he could both physically and emotionally support Magnus with the same action. He was still confused as to what had happened to his husbands' emotional state in the space of the 15 minutes it took him to take a shower, but it didn't seem that anything particularly bad had happened. 

_"Magnus... what?.."_

_"If you were born into this world to love me, then I was born to not rest until I found you."_

Recognition of his own written words sparked in Alec's brain as he put two and two together. He smiled with a warmth that could melt ice and rested his own head atop Magnus', spiked hair tickling his smooth cheek.

_"I love you, Alexander."_

Magnus whispered so quietly that if his lips had not been so close to Alec's ear, he wouldn't have heard him.

_"I love you too...so much."_

Alec replied in earnest, placing a soft kiss to Magnus' temple and nuzzling into his hair with his nose. 

_Dear god_ did Magnus marvel for the millionth time at how far gone he truly was for his husband. How was it possible to love this man even more every day? To fall deeper in love with him again and again; and in new ways that alighted like feather-light caresses onto his heart, diffusing rapidly like a gunpowder wick catching within his veins to warm his entire being, and comfort his soul like a blessing.

They remained in each other's embrace for long after their whispers of love were spoken. Once they finally moved to get under the golden covers of their shared bed they wrapped up in one another, limbs tangled until dawn trickled in through the curtains to shed light on another blessed day of waking up to their beloved husband.

**Author's Note:**

> Well that's it for my first Malec fic.
> 
> Please feel free to add some constructive criticism, I'd love to know what you guys thought of it. 
> 
> I plan to do a series of Malec one shots and have a lot in the works so more will be coming soon!
> 
> Virtual hugs for everyone!


End file.
